Focusing lamp assembly



Nov. 10, 1942. J Z|MMER FOCUSING LAMP ASSEMBLY Filed July 24, 1940INVENTOR. MyronJ. immer ATTORNEY:

Patented Nov. 10, 1942 FOCUSING LAMP ASSEMBLY Myron J. Zimmer, Chicago,Ill.,' assignor to The Edward Katzinger Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application July 24, 1940, Serial No. 347,100

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a focusing lamp assembly for flashlight andthe like having structural characteristics particularly adapted for usein connection with front-end loading types of flashlight cases. a

It is a further object of this invention to provide an attachment forflashlights which combines in a single portable structure, the lens,reflector, lamp and focusing mechanism.

With the above and other objects in view, as

will be apparent, this invention consists in the construction,combination and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more fullydescribed, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a flashlight withthe present invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a broken similar section showing the parts of the focusinglamp assembly in an operating position different from that shown in Fig.1.

The flashlight shown in Fig, 1 represents one type of structure inconnection with which the present lamp assembly'is readily applicableand consists of a metal conductive tubular case l0 provided with anintegral closed rear end H and open at its front end through which drycells l2 and I3 may be loaded in the Well known manner.

The front end of the case "J is referably 30 The lamp structure shownherein is that of a 49 pre-focus type embracing a filament or bulbportion 20, a smooth cylindrical base or neck portion 2| and a collar 22developed at the end of the neck portion adjacent said bulb portion,said collar having a predetermined relation to said filament forinstantaneous positioning of the fila- 'ment 2'0 with relation to areflector, such as the reflector l9. Surrounding the neck 2| of the lampis a metallic sleeve 23 provided at its forward end with an inwardlyextending annular shoulder 24 adapted to engage the front face of thecollar 22 on the lamp. The rearwardly extending portion of the sleeve 23is surrounded by a cylindrical socket member 25 having an inend on whichis mounted apertured insulating disks 2'! and 28, through which aconductor rivet 29 or the like passes for engagement at its outer endwith the central electrode of the battery l2 and at its inner end with aconductor tip 30 at the base of the lamp. A cylindrical shell 3|,secured as at 32 to the edge of the reflector aperture, provides anaxially aligned tubular extension projecting rearwardly of the reflector19 adapted to telescope on the outer surface of the socket member 25. Anannular shoulder 33 at the end of the shell 3| adjacent the reflectorprovides a reference surface coacting with the collar 22 of the lamp,and the overlying portion of the shoulder 24 On the sleeve 23, toaccurately and instantly locate the filament of the lamp relative to thereflector l9 to project a concentrated spot of light.

The socket member 25 and conductor rivet 29 are urged in a positionrearward of the shell 3| through a coil spring 34 pressing against theshoulder 33 of the shell and in the opposite direction against an outturned flange 35 at the rear end of the sleeve 23. Thus the spring 34acts against the case, through the reflector l9 and lens l5, to pressthe lamp conductor tip 30 into engagement with the central electrode ofthe battery [2. As a result, when the lens I5 is partially unscrewedfrom the case I!) to occupy the position shown in Fig. 2 for example,the spring acting against the shoulder 33 pushes the shell 3| andreflector l0 forwardly of the lamp so as to effect a focusing adjustmentby which a diffused or spreading light projection is obtained asdistinguished from a concentrated spot of light resulting when the lensis screwed home, as shown in Fig. 1.

When the lens I5 is completely unscrewed from the case [0 for thepurpose of removing the entire lamp assembly, an in turned flange 36carried by a cap 31 screw threaded to the rear vend of the shell'3l, asat 38, serves as a stop coacting with the shoulder 26 of the socketmember 25 to maintain the spring 35 in a state of compression andprevents accidental withdrawal of the socket member 25 and itscooperating parts from the sleeve 3| during removal of the lens andreflector from the case; Likewise, the removable screw cap 31 provides asimple and exwardly extending annular shoulderZB at its rear thecombination ofthe lens, reflector, lamp-a d,

focusing mechanism in a single portable structure, which, when removedfrom the case clears the front end of the case of all obstructionsthereby affording easy access to the interior of the case through saidfront end.

It will be further observed that the spring 34 as applied in connectionwith the present focusing assembly, not only assures constant engagementof the lamp tip 30 with the central electrode of the battery l2 so thatthe flow of current therethrough is not interrupted during the focusingadjustment, but eliminates the necessity for the usual spring in therear end of the case l for making contact with the rear terminal of theendmost battery cell. Instead, a rigid contacting device, such as ametal bolt 42 or the like, secured in a mounting block 43 of insulatingmaterial, may be inserted in the closed end of the case I0 for effectingelectrical contact between the case iii and the endmost battery.

The electrical circuit between the case ID and the side terminal of thelamp may be closed in any suitable manner, such as by means of a bar 39slidable on the inner surface of the case Hi to engage a conductor disk40 carried by the cap 31, as shown in the drawing. Operation of the bar39 is obtainable by means of a button 4| on the outside of the casingIll. The circuit of the lamp is accordingly completed as follows: fromconductor tip 30 of lamp, rivet 29, dry cells l2 and I3, bolt 42, case10, bar 39, conductor disk 40, cap 31, sleeve 3|, spring 34, sleeve 23to lamp collar 22.

The advantages of a focusing lamp assembly for flashlights as describedwill be readily understood, it is believed, and although a preferredembodiment of the assembly is as illustrated and described, it is to beunderstood that changes in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fallwithin the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A focusing lamp assembly for flashlights comprising a lamp having afilament portion, a base terminal portion and a laterally extendingcollar having predetermined relation to said filament, a parabolicreflector having a central aperture of a diameter adapted to pass thefilament portion of said lamp therethrough, a metallic sleevesurrounding the base portion of said lamp, an inwardly extending annularshoulder at the forward end of said sleeve adapted to engage the frontface of the lamp collar, a cylindrical socket member having an inwardlyextending annular shoulder at its rear end carrying a battery contactingconductor member engageable with the base of the lamp, said socketmember being adapted to telescope said sleeve, a cylindrical shellsecured to the reflector providing an axially aligned tubular extensionprojecting rearwardly of the reflector adapted to telescope the socketmember, a stop at the end of the shell adjacent the reflector coactingwith the shoulder at the forward end of the sleeve, a spring pressingagainst said stop on the shell and against a flange at the rear end ofsaid sleeve to cause said stop at the end of the shell to move into aposition away from the shoulder at the forward end of the sleeve, and astop coacting with the shoulder on the socket member to maintain thespring in a state of compression and to prevent withdrawal of the socketmember from the reflector shell.

2. A focusing assembly for a flashlight comprising a lamp having a bulbportion, a reflector having a central aperture through which the bulbportion of said lamp is adapted to project, a seat adjacent the edge ofsaid reflector aperture, a sleeve carried by said lamp providing aflange at the inner limits of the bulb portion of the lamp and a flangein rearwardly spaced relation to said flange at the inner limits of thebulb portion of the lamp, said flange at the inner limits of the bulbportion of the lamp being adapted to locate the lamp in spotlight focalposition relative to the reflector when the bulbward surface of saidflange at the inner limits of the lamp bulb is in engagement with saidseat, a socket member adapted to telescope said sleeve and havingconductive means engageable with the base terminal of the lamp, andresilient means normally urging said seat and said flange at the inenrlimits of the lamp bulb in opposite directions including a helicalspring disposed about the axis of the sleeve and acting against saidrearwardly located flange and said seat, and means coacting with saidsocket member to limit movement of said seat relative to said flange atthe inner limits of the lamp bulb.

3. A focusing assembly for a flashlight comprising a lamp having a bulbportion, a reflector having a central aperture through which the bulbportion of said lamp is adapted to project, a seat adjacent the edge ofsaid reflector aperture, a sleeve carried by said lamp providing aflange at the inner limits of the bulb portion of the lamp and a flangein rearwardly spaced relation to said flange at the inner limits of thebulb portion of the lamp, said flange at the inner limits of the bulbportion of the lamp being adapted to locate the lamp in spotlight focalposition relative to the reflector when the bulb ward surface of saidflange at the inner limits of the lamp bulb is in engagement with saidseat, a socket member adapted to telescope said sleeve and havingconductive means engageable with the base terminal of the lamp,resilient means normally urging said seat and said flange at the innerlimits of the lamp bulb in opposite directions including a helicalspring disposed about the axis of the sleeve and acting against saidrearwardly located flange and said seat, a tubular extension on saidreflector projecting rearwardly and axially of said reflector aperture,and means at the rear end of said extension cooperating with said socketmember to limit movement of said seat relative to said flange at theinner limits of the lamp bulb.

4. In a flashlight, a casing, a reflector supported on said casing formovement axially of the casing, a lamp receiving aperture in saidreflector adapted to admit the bulb portion of a lamp therethrough, lampcarrying means supported on said reflector and arranged rearward- 1yaxially of said reflector aperture, a shoulder at the reflectorward endof said lamp carrying means for engagement with means at the innerlimits of the bulb portion of a lamp carried thereby to locate said lampin spotlight focal position relative to said reflector, and means 01)-erated through movement of the reflector axially outward of the casingtocause said shoulder to move from a position in engagement with said lampseating means to a position in forwardly spaced relation thereto,

5. In a flashlight, a casing, a reflector supported on saidcasing formovement axially of the casing, a lamp receiving aperture in saidreflector adapted'to admit the bulb portion of a lamp therethrough, lampcarrying means supported on said reflector and arranged rearwardlyaxially of said reflector aperture, a shoulder at the reflectorward endof said lamp carrying means for engagement with means at the innerlimits of the bulb portion of a lamp carried thereby to locate said lampin spotlight focal position relative to said reflector, means operatedthrough movement of the reflector axially outward of the casing to causesaid shoulder to move from a position in engagement with said lampseating means to a position in forwardly spaced relation thereto, and astop cooperating with said lamp to limit movement of said shoulder froma position in engagement with said lamp seating means to a predeterminedposition in forwardly spaced relation thereto.

6. In a flashlight, a casing, a reflector supported on said casing formovement axially of the casing, a lamp receiving aperture in saidreflector adapted to admit the bulb portion of a lamp therethrough, lampcarrying means supported on said reflector and arranged rearwardlyaxially of said reflector aperture, a shoulder at the reflectorward endof said lamp carrying means for engagement with means at the innerlimits of the bulb portion of a lamp-can ried thereby to locate saidlamp in spotlight focal position relative to said reflector, meansoperated throughmovement of the reflector axially outward of the casingto cause said shoulder to move from a position in engagement with saidlamp seating means to a position in forwardly spaced relation thereto,and means removably supported on said lamp carrying means providing astop cooperating with said lamp to limit movement of said shoulder froma position in engagement with said lamp seating means to a predeterminedposition in forwardly spaced relation to said lamp seating means.

7. In a flashlight, a casing, a reflector supported on said casing formovement axially of the casing, a lamp receiving aperture in saidreflector adapted to admit the bulb portion of a lamp therethrough, lampcarrying means supported on said reflector and arranged rearwardlyaxially of said reflector aperture, a shoulder at the reflectorward endof said lamp carrying means for engagement with means at the innerlimits of the bulb portion of a lamp carried thereby to locate said lampin spotlight focal position relative to said reflector, means operatedthrough movement of the reflector axially outward of the casing to causesaid shoulder to move from a position in engagement with said lampseating means to a position in forwardly spaced relation thereto, andmeans supported on said lamp carrying means providing an adjustable stopcooperating with said lamp to limit movement of said shoulder from aposition in engagement with said lamp seating means to a predeterminedor selected position in forwardly spaced relation to said lamp seatingmeans.

8. In a flashlight, a casing, a reflector supported on said case formovement axially of the casing, a lamp receiving aperture in saidreflector adapted to admit the bulb portion of a lamp therethrough, lampcarrying means supported on said reflector and arranged rearwardlyaxially of said reflector aperture, a shoulder at the reflectorward endof said lamp carrying means for engagement with seating means at theinner limits of the bulb portion of a lamp carried thereby to locate thelamp in spotlight focal position relative to said reflector, and meansoperated through movement of the reflector axially outward of the caseto cause said shoulderto move from a position in engagement with saidlamp seating means to a position in forwardly spaced relation to saidlamp seating means including a spring opposing movement of the shouldertoward said lamp seating means.

9. In a flashlight, a casing, a reflector supporting means on said casefor movement axially of the casing, a deflector carried by saidreflector supporting means, a lamp receiving aperture in said reflectoradapted to admit the bulb portion of a lamp therethrough, lamp carryingmeans supported on said reflector and arranged rearwardly about saidreflector aperture, a shoulder at the reflectorward end of said lampcarrying means for engagement with seating means at the inner limits ofthe bulb portion of a lamp carried thereby to locate the lamp inspotlight focal position relative to said reflector, and means operatedthrough movement of the reflector supporting means axially outward ofthe casing to cause said shoulder to move from a position in engagementwith said lamp seating means to a position in forwardly spaced relationthereto.

10; In a flashlight, a casing, a lens supported on said case formovement axially of the case, said lens having a rearwardly openingrecess, a reflector having its rim engaging the inner limits of saidrecess, a lamp receiving aperture in said reflector adapted to admit thebulb portion of a lamp therethrough, lamp carrying means supported onsaid reflector and arranged rearwardly axially of said reflectoraperture, a shoulder at the reflectorward end of said lamp carryingmeans for engagement with seating means at the inner limits of the bulbportion of a lamp carried thereby to locate the lamp in spotlight focalposition relative to the reflector, and means operated through movementof the lens axially outward of the case to cause said shoulder to movefrom a position in engagement with said lamp seating means to a positionin forwardly spaced relation to said lamp seating means.

11. In a flashlight, a casing, a reflector supported on said case formovement axially of the casing, a lamp receiving aperture in saidreflector adapted to admit the bulb portion of a lamp therethrough, atubular extension on said reflector projecting rearwardly and axially ofsaid reflector aperture, means for supporting a lamp for endwisemovement in said extension including a sleeve having a forward flangecoacting with a lamp therein to provide a seat at the inner limits ofthe bulb portion of said lamp and a flange spaced rearwardly therefrom,a shoulder at the reflectorward end of said extension engageable withsaid forward flange of the sleeve to locate the lamp coacting therewithin spotlight focal position relative to said reflector, and meansoperated through movement of the reflector axially outward of the casingto cause said shoulder to move forwardly away from said forward flangeon the sleeve including a spring acting against said rearward flangenormally urging said shoulder and said forward flange on the sleeve inopposite directions and a stop at the rearward end of said extensioncooperating with said lamp to limit movement of said shoulder in adirection away from said forward flange on the sleeve.

MYRON J. ZIMMER.

